Here’s to a bookish Halloween!

Halloween approaches!

I won’t lie. Halloween is one of my all time favorite holidays. Although it’s still second to Christmas in my heart, it’s still a holiday that makes me get all wiggly and excited. The thing that these two holidays share is a sense of whimsy. An excuse for adults to be kids again, just for a bit. I LOVE that!

As a bookish person, one of the ways I love to celebrate is with some spooky reads. I get a lot of recommendations every year, and I actually have a list of reads I reserve just for the month of October. Today I thought I’d share some of my favorite that I’ve read so far, and maybe give you one or two to dive into this weekend!

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

Let’s start out with a bang, shall we? Or rather, with a whimper, because this book has one of the nastiest and most deliciously terrifying villains that I’ve ever met. Charlie Manx is pure evil. Whether you read this, or listen to the very excellent audio book version, this story is well worth your time! I don’t doubt you’ll quickly fall for the characters, and soon find yourself absolutely terrified that they’re in such peril. Joe Hill is an impressive writer, and he shows off his chops in spades here.

If you haven’t read this yet, get on it. This is the stuff of nightmares.

The Waking Dark by Robin Wasserman

I will recommend this book forever, and especially as an atmospheric read for this time of year. You know what’s even scarier than pure evil? The evil that lurks inside us all. That deep dark part in all of us, where we hide our other half. Robin Wasserman takes that, adds in some rich backstory and amazing characters, and creates a book that is entirely addictive.

You won’t want to look away, but you might have to. I had to take breaks while reading this. It’s violent. It’s dark. It’s also so well done. Add this to your list!

The Flesh Market by Richard Wright

Keeping with the theme of evil people, and dark circumstances, let’s also add in some undead! If you’re a fan of historical fiction, you’re going to love this book. It’s stunning how Richard Wright manages to seamlessly mix in some dark suspense and create a brand new book. Centered around the Burke & Hare murders in 1800’s Edinburgh, Scotland this book is rich in setting. It’s equally rich in action too. 

I’m not generally a big historical fiction reader, but add in some well placed undead? Well, you have my attention. This book is great!

Blackout by Tim Curran

Want a quicker read? This novella by Tim Curran is sure to sate your need for a quick horror fix. We’ve covered evil people, we’ve covered the undead, now we’re in the territory of the dark unknown. The lights go out. People are pulled into the sky, screaming the whole way. You’re alone, and terrified. 

That’s all you’re getting about this novella, because anything else will spoil it. Trust me, it’s worth exploring this darkness. Well, at least in book form. There is no way in heck that I’d want to be there in real life.

So there you have it! Some creepy reads to give you the shivers this weekend!

Have any that you’d add to the list? Shout them out in the comments!